She Was a Phantom of Delight
by stargwynn
Summary: Kirk, McCoy and Spock find new discoveries where they least expected.
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

I envy not the beast that takes

His license in the field of time,

Unfettered by the sense of crime,

To whom a conscience never wakes;

Nor what may count itself as blest,

The heart that never plighted troth

But stagnates in the weeks of sloth;

Nor any want-begotten rest.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;

I feel it, when I sorrow most;

Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.

_Alfred Lord Tennyson __In Memoriam XXVII_

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Chapter One: She Was a Phantom of Delight

_She was a Phantom of Delight_

_When first she gleamed upon my sight;_

_A lovely apparition, sent _

_To be a moment's ornament;_

_Her eyes as stars of twilight fair;_

_Like twilight's, too, her hair;_

_But all things else about her drawn_

_From Maytime and the cheerful dawn;_

_A dancing shape, an image gay,_

_To haunt to startle, and waylay…_

_She Was a Phantom of Delight_

_By William Wordsworth _

_An excerpt _

"Bones!" Kirk shouted from across the corridor. His face was positively beaming: his smile went from ear to ear, and his eyes were points of mirthful light. He strode over to the doctor, and in his stride there was, if it is possible, even more spring in his step. "Bones, hello there you old stick in the mud!"

"Jim." Bones responded dumbly. "I guess you must have had a wonderful shore leave?" McCoy wasn't, as the Captain inferred, trying to be a stick in the mud, but he had had an awful shore leave. They had spent 2 months on a planet—the Enterprise waiting to serve as chauffeur for some diplomatic and geological teams they had brought to the planet earlier. Pegasus IV was in a remote part of the galaxy, and far off starships' beaten track, not to mention the Enterprise crew was over-due for shore leave, so it was determined that the crew would take their sabbatical here, to save sending another ship into the area in such a short time.

Now, McCoy obviously didn't know anyone on the planet, and it held no particular interest for him, and Kirk had been occupied with something the entire time, so over-all, a pretty boring, lonely two months ensued. McCoy didn't jump into new things the way the Captain did. He didn't make many new acquaintances, as it seemed the rest of the crew had, nor was he familiar with many of the Enterprise crew members. The same could be said of Spock, of course, but, McCoy thought, that didn't matter for him—he had accompanied the geological team and kept himself occupied that way, not needing a sabbatical.

"Wonderful shore leave? Bones, I've met her! And I don't mean a 'she'. I mean I've met HER."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Upon Nearer View

I saw her upon nearer view,

A spirit yet a woman too!

…A creature not too bright or good

For human nature's daily food;

…A perfect woman nobly planned,

To warn, to comfort, and command;

And yet a spirit still, and bright

With something of angelic light.

_She was a Phantom of Delight_

_continued_

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* * *

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"Whoa, Jim. Hold on. You mean 'the one'?" McCoy used his fingers to denote and emphasize the phrase in quotes. His eyes and his entire manner screamed incredulity.

"Phyllis." Kirk pronounced the name with respect and deep affection. If it hadn't been for this sincerity and seriousness, McCoy would have thought his Captain was under the influence of some euphoric drug.

"Say, uh, Jim, let's go to the commissary and discuss this over some coffee, huh?"

"Sure, Bones. I've so much to tell you."

A few minutes later they were seated and Kirk began fervently,

"At first she was just, like, how do you say it, a phantom of delight. She captivated me. My only thought at the time was that this was going to be good shore leave. But now, its grown into so much more. I've spent two months with her Bones, and in that time we've grown to know each other. We really do love each other, and I want this to last beyond a superficial two month affair. I can't let her get away. I'm going to ask her to marry me, Bones."

McCoy gave a quick intake of breath.

"I'll ask her now, and then, after the five year mission, we'll marry and I'll take a job at the Academy. " Kirk's face glowed with happiness and anticipation. What had once been his worst nightmare, a quiet life on earth stuck with a teaching job at the Academy, was now his deepest wish.

"Well, you obviously knew what I would have said in response to all this, Jim, 'cause you already thought up all the answers. But don't you think you should think about this some more?"

"I've had two months, Bones. I cannot let her get away. I've arranged for her transport to earth with the geological team on the Enterprise."

"But the Enterprise isn't a bus route Jim. Passengers are strictly…"

"I know. They are only to be admitted when pertaining to Starfleet missions. But she is now. She wants to join Starfleet. She is entering the Academy, and by the time my tour is up, she will have graduated and hold an Academy job in no time. She is one of the few of her people still living. Her world was destroyed by the Romulans, and now she wants to represent her people in joining Starfleet."

"It seems you have it all worked out. Well, Jim, I don't know what to say, except that I must meet this lady."

Kirk's face lit up. "Of Course! She'll be coming aboard in less than two hours."

"I have to ask, Jim. Why did you feel the need to tell me all this? I mean, I'm glad you did, it just doesn't seem like you to lay everything bare like this." The two had stood up and were walking out of the commissary.

"Well, I'll tell you, Leonard McCoy, I just wanted to let you in on it so that when you met Phyllis you wouldn't turn on that old southern charm." Captain and Chief Medical Officer walked out hands on each other's shoulders, laughing heartily.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: She Walks in Beauty

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She walks in beauty like the night

The night of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meets in her aspect and her eyes…

And on that cheek, and on that brow

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent

The smiles that win, the tints that glow

But tells in days of goodness spent

A mind at peace with all below

A heart whose love is innocent.

_She Walks in Beauty_

_By Lord Byron_

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She stood in beauty as the poet describes, in the observation room by the large window. The stars were over her head in the clear of space—the most cloudless clime imaginable. Her eyes were that of a dove, gazing out into the deep of space, and then down upon the planet below, the look of a mind at peace with all below. Then she turned to Kirk, her eyes meeting his, her soul reaching his, his reaching hers. He met the look of love that bespoke a heart whose love is innocent.

"Phyllis." Kirk approached her and grasped her hand and kissed in gently. "I have something to ask you." He opened his hand and displayed a quaint silver ring.

Twelve hours earlier…

"I tell you Spock, there's just something not right about her."

"Something not right is barely tangible evidence with which to provide the Captain."

"I know, but anyone who show one face her possible fiancé and another to his best friends can't be trusted. I cannot give you tangibles Spock, but in this kind of thing, a hunch can be more useful."

"Actually, Doctor, I may have evidence to support your theory. Several confidential files have been tapped into inexplicably. In addition, there have been unauthorized transmissions emanating from this ship."

"That is strange isn't. Where were they transmitted from?" The comm. beeped.

"We shall soon have the answer to that. Spock here."

"Mr. Spock, the transmissions have been analyzed. They came from Phyllis Gladstone's quarters."

"I think we should speak to the Captain at once."

"Agreed. OH, no, Spock, He's with Phyllis now. Alone"

* * *

"Phyllis." Kirk approached her and grasped her hand and kissed in gently. "I have something to ask you." He opened his hand and displayed a quaint silver ring.

"Oh, James, I have something for you, too." Her eye shone with an unfamiliar light, and Kirk didn't quite know what to make of it, but smiled lovingly.

In a flash she had whipped out an impossibly long dagger and slipped in between his ribs, pointing upward to his lungs and heart. Kirk looked down at the 5 inch dagger now plunged deeply into his side. Only a small part of the blade still protruded. He looked up into her eyes in confusion, then with a grunt sank to the floor.

**_Please review with thoughts, ideas, complaints, criticisms, good or bad. This is my first Star Trek fic._**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three: With Every Word of Love

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Sonnet LXXXVIII

_William Shakespeare_

_When thou shalt be disposed to set me light _

_And place my merit in the eye of scorn,_

_Upon thy side against myself I'll fight_

_And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forsworn._

_With my own weakness being best acquainted,_

_Upon thy part I can set down a story_

_Of faults conceal'd, wherein I am attained,_

_That thou in losing me shalt win much glory._

_For bending all my loving thoughts on thee,_

_The injuries that to myself I do,_

_Doing thee vantage, double-vantage me._

_Such is my love, to thee I so belong,_

_That for thy right myself will bear all wrong._

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He laid there, blood pooling around him. She hunched over him, holding the knife in place, piercing the strategic space in between his ribs. Kirk looked down for the first time, the reality of what was happening still dawning upon him. He unclenched his right fist and saw the white silver of the engagement ring now a ring of red in his outstretched hand. Phyllis slowly and sinuously snaked the blade further to its goal as Kirk remained impassive and immobilized by disbelief. His breath came in gurgling gasps as blood bubbles surged up his windpipe, into his mouth and seeped onto his sputtering lips. Finally he spoke,

"Phyllis." In his voice, his eyes, his features there was no reproach, no accusation, anger nor resentment. There was only confusion, disbelief, and yes, yes, even love. Phyllis saw it, and it confused her, but she regrouped immediately and composed herself, taking on a disdainful air.

"_James, James_, you are a fool." The use of his name, before spoken so affectionately from her lips, was now riddled with hate, contempt and scorn. "That you fell for me in the beginning is one thing, but this second failing is beyond belief! " She paused, and then said with infinite coldness, "You still love me. Well, let me assure you, Captain, I've been planning this from the first moment I saw you. With every word of love and tender kiss I discovered new pathways to your vulnerabilities. This is the climax. One more inch and I pierce your heart." She tightened her grip on the handle of the deadly knife.

Authors note...

To discover the fate of our dear Captain friend

and to uncover the conspiracies that are brewing,

Do but a brief note lend.

By your thoughts sharing, muses you shall be sowing!

(hint, hint) :)

And no, this poem is most definitely not Shakespearean in origin!


End file.
